West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1887-07-21
MY NEIGHB0R'S BURGLAR.
BY MRS. a. C. LEWIS.


The house next door had been emptv
Tor several weeks. Our household had
been duly solicitous over the next pos
sible tenant; but the edge of our anxiety
hau at last worn of, as newer interests
engrossed our attention.
One morning, as we sat down TO break
Iast everything was revived, and a
general tluttcr of conjecture vibratcd
across the domestic wires. ms we
watched load after load Of furniture turn
IN at the driveway next door. and il he
came evident that the expected Usome-
body" was moving in. ~
Who that somebody" was. we later
on learned a Mrs. Brown. widow five
daughters (onc marricdD four sons-all
schoolboyS, except the eldest who II
was believed, was abroad: in fact the
necessary sum total aggregated the
verdict Of "a family Of rcSpcctabilitv
me 0crs of an orthodox church. etc
etc 49,
As is the usual custom in LARGE cities
when your neighbors 'move in. " and the
somebody you are so anxious over is
IS lairly confirmed in the tack-dtiyinp
ana shade hanging business, and YOU are
assured that there is no unsettled oucs-
uons In regard TO their possibility. YOU
presently forget tat the name on the
door-plate of Number 50 has changed.
and months and even years go by. be-
lore you can iind time TO call
Ihe Browus had been settled at least
SIX weeks IN their house, and ]. i'm the
midst OF my busy life, had almost for
gotten Their existence. 4 minister's wife.
In busy city parish, has little time cX-
cept for the must -be-dones belonpin0
to her husbands charge. Even the priv
ilege OF good ncighbors is seldom granted
her, unless, pcrchance, that ncighbor
may be of "our household faith"
One evening, just after night-faH. q
tremendous Jerk at the doOr-bell brought
the whole household, even the impcrturb-
able Bridget, upon IS feet, and uuickencd
her usually slow pace to quite a rapid
jog.
heard the front door open, and at the
same time feeble voice, half hvsterical
half asthmatic, and wholly incoherent.
struggling with sobs and tears. Irushed
to the door myself as / caught the
words: "Quick quick - Annie nv
6a6y-is quick-quick. You"-
she clutchcd at my dress, and dragged
me halfway down the steps, before rec
ognized IN her my ncXt-door neighbor.
Mrs Brown.
Minister'S wives are provcrbiallv quiet
and self-contained, and, like their good
husbands, arc expected 10 be prepared
Tor any and every emergency. So. catch
ing a wrap from Bridget's out,tretchcd
and thoughtful hand. few alonp with
my newly found ncighbor.
She could tell me nothing only "An-
ME, Annie, my baby, is dying quick -
quick
Several times. she, in her weakness
dropped upon her knees before we
reached her door las9istcd her to rise.
and together at last we entered the room
where the family were all gathered i'm %
state of frantic excitement pale, help
less and dcsrairing.
a glance, and few inquiries revealed
to me the situation We were passing
through one OF those periodical smallpox
scares, and It seemed that, the family
being large, and the expense Of vaccine
ton heavy ono, the husband Of the
married daughter had procured a suni-
cient number Of quilts, and had under
taken the task Of vacciuatinQ tho family
The work had proceeded successfully
until Annie's turn came. The ivory point
had no sooner penetrated her arm, than
upon the carpet, apparently dead
TOO teTor-strlckcn to give Der the
needed help. the family flew I'm every
Hrectlon Tor restomtivcs, but nothing
could bc found and consequently uotb-
ing done. I raised the poor child I'm mv
arms administered tile simplest Of
emergency treatment and in 20 few mo-
ments She opened her cycs. and SO far ne.
covered as TO be able TO speak 10 hcr
mother
This was tle beginning ofmy relations
with the Browns They were thc most
friendly and kindly people I'm the world
Oul nothing ever happened in heir house.
hold except with q cresccn9o Tho
family were ali given to swo0uing of the
most pronounced tyne A swoon pcr
day was no unusual thing. set thcy
could not get used 60 10 iu spite of thc
frequency of its recurrence. Tho mother
alone was exempt from This most un-
pleasant maludy but ion thc place Of 30
she had hystcrical spasms and heart dis
ease. These spa-m were always con
ca rent with the swopuing Of her chil-
drcn, but happily did not become un-
manageable until after the swooncc bad
sufficiently yrccovorcd 90 bcinturn alarmed
about thc mother.
by hclng repeatedly summoned t0 as.
si.t in bringing 90" thc different mem
bcrs of the household ] soon became
so wen acquainted with the busiur. s.. and
so cmiLcHtiy ssc.c .ul in it naf I was
considered Invaluable to- the family and.
lam free 90 conlcs. that in this strange
capacity learned 90 love my really dc
ightful nciphbos
/ had supposed that The Browns held
the exclusive right 90 wooning But Foo
answer 90 an urgent call one day ] was
Ted down into Che basement and there,
across the dining room floor, lay stretched
ct full length iine looking. full bearded